The worst massacre in a church in the United States happened on Sunday, November 5 when a lone gunman opened fire and killed at least 26 worshippers and wounded 20 others at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs near San Antonio, Texas around 11:30 AM.

The gunman was outfitted in black tactical gear and a ballistic vest. He carried an assault rifle and began shooting during the worship service. The shooter was Devin Patrick Kelley, a 26-year-old white man who was found dead in another county. It is unclear if a deputy killed him, or if his death was self-inflicted.

So far, no motive has been revealed for the killings.

The victims

Those killed and wounded ranged in age from 5 to 72 including Pastor Frank Pomeroy's 14-year-old daughter, Annabelle Renee Pomeroy. A pregnant woman was also killed. It was a rare occasion that the pastor was away in Oklahoma. Of the 26 people who died, 23 people died inside the church, two outside the church and one person on the way to a hospital.

The wounded had injuries ranging from minor to critical. They were taken to three different hospitals including Connally Memorial Medical Center in Floresville and Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston. Four persons in critical condition were taken to University Hospital in San Antonio.

Governor Greg Abbott said this is the largest mass shooting in Texas' history. Abbott said at the press conference that what made it worse was that it happened in a place of worship. President Donald Trump is on a 12-day Asian trip, but he did tweet that he is monitoring the situation.

The church

The First Baptist Church is one of two churches in the area.

The church is very small with just one door, and the people sit on wooden pews. The members sing worship songs to guitar music. The town is also very small with a population of fewer than 900. There is a Dollar General store and two gas stations. One gas station is directly across the street from the church. While the shooting was going on, some of the worshippers ran there for cover.

Other massacres

This particular massacre comes after the shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday, October 1 when 58 people were killed at an outdoor concert. That was the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history.

Today's shooting happened on the eighth anniversary of the November 5, 2009, massacre at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas. After eight years, the shooter is awaiting execution for killing 13 people.
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